Witnesses report wait for ambulance after boy's accident

PATERSON — Amid the chaos in the moments after 2-year-old Adam Sheikh was struck by an SUV on a sidewalk just steps from his home, witnesses said frantic family members waited in vain for an ambulance to arrive before putting the boy into a car to drive to the hospital a mile away.

The boy's death, about which law enforcement officials have released few details, shocked his neighbors in the densely packed south Paterson neighborhood, and has devastated his family.

Adam's parents were too distraught to talk to a reporter Friday, but Adam's uncles and several neighbors who said they saw what happened Monday morning provided more details.

Witnesses have said the boy was happily riding his Big Wheel tricycle on the sidewalk near his Pacific Street home when a black SUV struck him while turning into a parking lot. Neighbors called 911, but as minutes went by, a decision was made not to wait. Sal Mahmoud, the boy's uncle — who ran from his home wearing only underwear — pulled up in his Mercedes-Benz and the boy's limp body was whisked away.

A neighbor, Andrea Caceres, 19, said a 911 operator told her that they could not immediately get an ambulance to Pacific Street, and that it might have taken about 15 minutes to get help there. Mohammad Mahmoud, another of Adam's uncles, said they waited six to eight minutes before heading to the hospital.

"With medical help who knows what would have happened," said Mohammad Mahmoud.

The boy had a large bump on the back of his head and was bleeding from his ear, witnesses said.

Glenn Brown, the city's police and fire director, did not return calls for comment about the police and ambulance response times Friday evening.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, only after a reporter's inquiries, confirmed the accident happened at 10:30 a.m. Monday. The office has released neither the boy's name nor the name of the SUV driver, and hasn't said whether charges are pending. No accident report was made available.

"When we have concluded our review, we will determine what information to release," said Prosecutor Camelia Valdes in an email responding to a reporter's questions.

The man driving is believed to be a business owner in the area, family members said.

"He just zipped into the parking lot," Mohammad Mahmoud said. "We want him punished according to the law. … He needs to face consequences."

He also said that accounts from the neighbors were wrong, that the driver did not back over Adam a second time after he was first struck.

On Friday, police investigators' spray-painted marks outlined where cars were parked on the cramped one-way street at the time the boy was struck. A rag that appeared to be soaked in blood was still lying in the driveway.

Children ran along the sidewalks Friday afternoon, but neighbors said that the activity was nothing at all like it was before Adam was killed.

"Now, no one is riding their bikes," said Gus Borden, 55.

Pacific Street residents want to prevent any recurrence of the tragic accident.

They want a gate across the driveway into the small parking lot, and they want speed humps to keep cars from racing down the street. They want to ban trucks on their residential street and more visible signs warning drivers about the number of children playing in the area.

A stop sign at Pacific and Gould streets is partially obscured by a tree. Standing diagonally from the intersection is a faded yellow sign that says "Slow."

"What happened to Adam is unfortunate," Andrea Caceres said. "But it happened for a reason and we need to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Staff Writer John Petrick contributed to this article. Email: mcgrathm@northjersey.com